Steam-trap



W. R. TEMPLETON.

STEAM TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-3,1917.

Patented May 25, 1920..

2 SHEETSSHEET 1 41 Invenfor.

William R. Te mpl fon WW-$02M W. R:TEMPLETONL STEAM TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 3, 1917';

Patented May 25,1920.

Invenior. William R. Templeforg byWMaM AHy's.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFF IQE.

WILLIAM R. TEMPLETON, OF BOSTON. MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO TEMPLETONMANUFACTURING COMPANY, 015 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OFMASSACHUSETTS.

STEAM- Application filed August T0 (ZZZ whom it may concern lie it knownthat I, IViLLiAM R. TEMPLE- TON, a citizen of the United States,residing at Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, haveinvented an Improvement in Steam Traps, of which the followingdescription, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is aspecification, like char actors on the drawing representing like parts.I

This invention relates to steam traps, such asare used for deliveringfeed water to a boiler, and the object ofthe invention is to provide anovel steam trap which is adapted to return to the boiler either waterof condensation from a stean'i-heating system, or deliver to the boilerwater directly from the city main or other outside source of supply, orto deliver to the boiler both the water of condensation and water froman outside supply.

In order to give an understanding of my invention, I have illustrated inthe drawings a selected embodiment thereof which will now be described,after which the novelfeatures will be pointed out in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a steam trap embodying myinvention; I

.Fig. 2 is an enlarged section on the line 2-2, Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a view ofa portion of the valve actuating mechanism;

Fig. 4. is an enlarged sectional view on the line 4-4:, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing the steam inlet valve;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing the air valve and the water inletvalve;

Fig. 7 is a detail sectional view showing the connections between thesteam valve, "water valve and the casing;

Fig. 8 is a view of the water inlet valve.

1 indicates a casing or chamber having a pipe 2 leading into its bottom,which pipe is connected by the T 3 with two branch pipes 4.- and 5'. Thepipe leads to the return of the heating system with which the trap isused, and it has a cheek-valve 6 therein which allows the water ofcondensation to flow through the pipe 1 in the direction of the arrow a,but prevents return movement. The pipe 5 leads to the boiler or to areser- Specification of Letters Patent.

TRAP.

Patented May 1920.

1917. Serial No. 184.339.

voir from which the boiler is filled, dependheating system so that thetrap 1 is above,

the boiler, then the pipe 5 may lead directly into the boiler, but ifsome of the radiators, and consequently the trap 1, are below the waterlevel in the boiler, then the pipe 5 will preferably feed to a tankabove the boiler which is connected thereto. In either case the pipe 5has a check-valve 7 therein which willallow water to flow from the trap1 through the pipe 5 in the direction of the arrow Z but will preventwater from fiowing back through the pipe 5 into the trap 1.

Situated within the trap 1 is a float 8 which is sustained by afloat-arm 9 that is vfast on a rock-shaft 1.0. This roelnshaft isjournaled' in two bearing members 11 and 12 carried by an extension 13of the casing 1,

said extension being formed on the head 14- of the casing. The bearingmember 11 is a cup-shaped member screwed into one side of the. extension13 and in which one end of the rock-shaft 10 is received. The bearing 12is in the form of a gland through which the rock-shaft 10 extends, saidgland having a stufl ing-box'lo thereon to make a tight joint. Saidshaft 10 is provided with a collar 16 which bears against and seats onthe inner end of the gland 12, said collar making with the gland a-tightjoint.

The float-arm 9 may be made fast to the shaft in any suitable way. Ihave herein shown the rock-shaft as provided with the squared portion 17on which the arm 9 is sustained.

The trap or casingl is connected to the boiler through a normally-closedvalve connection, and valveactuating means controlled by the float 8 isemployed. for opening the steam valve when the casing 1 is filled,thereby admitting the steampressure of the boiler to the casing. IVhenthe steam valve is closed, the water of condensation will flow throughthe pipe at andconnection 2 into the trap 1, thus gradually filling it,

and as it fills, the float 8 will rise. When the float reaches apredetermined position, the steam valve is opened, thus admitting thesteam pressure of the boiler to the casing, and this steam pressure willoperate to force the water from the casing 1 through the pipe 5 intoeither the boiler or into the tank situated above the boiler. liveredfrom the casing 1, the float descends,

and'when it reaches its lower limit, the steam 7 The port20 iscontrolled by a valve 23 which is connected to, stem 24 that extendsthrough the stuiling-box 25 and is pivotally connected to an actuatinglever 26, said lever being pivoted at 27v to a post 28 that rises fromthe valve casin 18. When the valve u I b u '23 is raised, then steam maybe admitted to the trap 1, as above described.

Coo aeratm with the steam valve 18 is a wvater valve and an air valve,the air valve being for the purpose of allowing the escape of anyairwwhich may become trapped in'the casing 1 as it fills with water, andthe water-valve being for the purpose of admittingto the casing'1 waterfrom the city mains or some other outside source.

. Both the air valve and the water valve are shown as incorporated inthe valve casing 25 which is secured to the top of the tank 1 The airvalve comprises a valve chamber: 240; which: communicates withth'e-interlor of the casing 1 through a port ,or duct-260 and which alsocommunicatesthrough I valved port 270'w1th the chamber 280.

The port 270 is controlled'by a positively- "operated air valve 29 thatis secured to'a stem 30 extending through the stutling-box 31 irests 'ona valve-seat 34. l hen the valve 33 is raised, then the chamber280 is indirect communication with an outlet port shown in; dotted lines inl lig.6. The valve 83' is in the nature of a Weighted checkvalve. f I

The water-valve which is associated'with the air-valve comprises avalvechamber 36 'sleeve 60, the stop-screws being adjusted; so that thespaceibetween hem-is somewhat. "greater-than the diameter oi the sleeve60.

which communicates with the interior of the casing'l through a duct 37andwhich also has communication with a water-inlet pipe 38through theport 3-9. The port is controlled by a valve 40 securedto a stem thatextends through a stufling box 48a The pip f 38 is provided with a valve'34 which controls the supply of water; 7

As the water'is do Ito the casing 1 at Another arm 5-1- of this T-shapedlever is connected ,by the I The chamber 280 communicates with theatmosphere through a reliefvalve heree .1n shown as ,CQHIEHRSHIQ ahousing 32 which '65 which pivoted to an 211-11166 The valves areactuated by a suitable float-controlled valve-actuating mechanism" isclosed, the other valves 'willbe opened. This valve-actuating mechanismis also so constructed that when the float is in its lowest position, asshown in Fig 1, the steam-valve is closed and the water-valve gandair-valve are opened, while when the V float has been rais'edito the topof the casing pipe ainto the casing 1, thus gradually'filling thelatter. WVhen the casing is filled,

the raised float aotuates the valve-control ling mechanism so as to openthe vsteamvalve and close the water and air-valves-, and the steampressure whlch is thus admitted to the casing, will force the water,thered fromthrough the pipe 5. The valve-actuating mechanism isconstructed so that it will be inactive until the float reaches eitherits highest or its lowest point, and then will become active forgivingthe valve aquick movement.

' The valve stems 42 and 30 of the w'ateri and air-valves are connectedat theirupper ends to heads 4E5 and 46 which in turn are connected bythe pm at? to alever48. This lever is pivota-lly connected at one end,as

shown atf4;9, to a postSO, and the other end f of the lever'isconnectedby link 511:0 one arm 52 of a T-sha'ped lever that is pivotedlink 55'to the end of the lever 26 and hence i as the lever 54:, 52rocks about ts pivotr53', I

the valves will be opened: and closed, as

above'set forth; The third arm 56 of this three-armed lever is situatedbetween two member 58 which isalsopivoted on the stud or pivot '53; Thescrews 5'? are adjust-ed'so that thereis some lost motion between themand thearm v The rocker 5S hasa stud 59 a sleeve 60, the outer endOf'llllil stud extending loosely tliirougn a slot 31 111 a head 62. Thishead 621s provided w thtwo arms adjustable screws 57 carried. byaprocker i l extending therefrom on which is mounted- 1 63 in which aremounted stop screws 6 t that V r are adapted to have engagement,with theF The head 62 is-secured to the end oi a link the 'rocliishaft' 10;

fast" on The rocker 581-has rigid therewith a cradle V 67 inwhich aWeight-member 68 mounted to roll, said cradle presenting a track 69 onwhich the weight 68 rolls and having up- \mrdly-directed curved arms 70at its ends which limit the rolling 'movement of the weight 68. Theparts are shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4 in the position they occupy when theusing 1 is empty, and when in this position the three-armed lever is soplaced that r the steam-valve 23 is closed while the wateri valve andopen the air and water valves, thus restoring the parts to the positionvalve 40 and airvalve 29 are opened.

If, however, the valve 44 in the water connection 38 closed, no waterfrom the city main or other outsile source can be admitted to the trap.In actual practice. ,I propose to have the valve 44 just cracked open sothat a very small amount of water an flow therethrough.

The water of condensation will thus enter the casing 1 through the pipe4 and the float S will gradually rise. This rising move ment of thefloat will turn the rock-shaft 10 and move the link to the left, Figs. 1and 4. This movement of the link acts through the right-hand screw- 64and sleeve 60 to turn the rocker 58. In the position shown in Fig. 1,the rocker is so situated that the left-hand end of the cradle is lowestand the weight 68 is thus at said left-hand end. As the lever is turnedby the rising float, the cradle will be moved first into a horizontalposition and then will be turned so that the righthand end thereof willbe lowest. lVhen the cradle reaches this position the weight 68 willmove toward the lower right-hand end of the cradle, the rolling weightgiving an added impulse to the cradle and quickly moving it into itsfinal position.

During the initial turning movement of the rocker 58, the right-handset-screw 57 will be carried toward the arm 56 0f the three-armed lever,and said set-screws are so adjusted. that said right-hand set-screw willcome into contact with the three-armed lever just about the time thatthe cradle has been turned into position to cause the weight 68 to rollto: the right-hand end. Hence, the final movement oi the cradle which isdue to the rolling movement of the weight 68 will act through therighthand screw 57 to turn the three-armed lever and thus raise the arm54 and lower the arm 52. This opens the steam-valve 23 and closes thewater-valve 40 and air-valve 29. During this final quick weight-actuatedmovement of the rocker the stud 59 and its sleeve 60 will be carriedaway from the right-hand screw 64 and into contact with the left-handscrew 64 in Fig. 4, the lost motion between said sleeve and said stopscrew being to permit this quick movement of the rocker.

As soon as the valves have been shifted, the steam pressure which isadmitted to the tank 1 will force the water therefrom through the pipe5, and the lowering movement of the float will act through the lefthandscrew to move the rocker in a reverse direction. As soon as the rockerpasses its central position, which will be when the float has reachedsubstantially the position shown in Fig. 1, then the weight 61 will movetoward the left-hand end of the cradle and will operate to quickly closethe steamshown in Figs. 1 and 4. lVhen the casing has been emptied ofwater, it is, of course, filled'with steam. As soon as the steamvalve isclosed and the water-valve is opened, the cold water which is admittedthrough the water valve will immediately condense the steam, thusremoving any pressure in the casing 1, and, under some circumstances,actually creating a vacuum therein so that the water of condensationwill freely flow into the casing from the pipe 4.

The valve 44 may be adjusted so that the continual addition of water tothe casing will be just sulficient to make good any loss which may occurfrom steam leaking at radiators or other connections and thus maintain aproper amount of water in the boiler at all times.

In order to. make the water more effective in condensing the steam, Ipropose to connect the port 37 with a spray pipe 71 so that the waterwill be discharged into the casing 1 in the form of a spray. The steaminlet port 21 is connected to a T 72 located within the casing 1 andhaving the upwardly-directed arm 7 3 so that the steam is delivered intothe casing in two streams whiclr are directed against the top of thecasing. Thisprevents any boiling or agitation of the water such as wouldbe due to the steam being delivered directly thereinto.

I claim:

1. In a steam trap, the combination with a casing having an opening inits bottom through which water from a heating system may enter thecasing and through which the water in the casing may be discharged, saidcasing having at its top a steam inlet, a water inlet, and an air ventoutlet, a steam valve for the steam inlet, a water valve for the waterinlet, and an air valve for the vent, a float in the easing, andconnections between said float and said valves whereby when the float israised the steam valve is opened and the water and air valves areclosed, while when the float is lowered, the steam valve is closed andthe water and air valves are opened.

2. In a steam trap, the combination with a casing having an opening inits bottom through which water from a heating s stem may enter thecasing'and through which the water in the casing may be discharged,

said casing having at its top a steam inlet and an air vent outlet, of asteam valve for the steam inlet, an an valve for the vent outlet, apivotedT-shaped lever connected to said valves to cause them to. operatesimultaneously but oppositely, a rocking member pivoted co-axially withsaid lever andhaving a depending portion carrying two screws betweenwhich one arm of the T-shaped lever is received, a cradle associatedwith the-rocking member, a rolling weight carried by the cradle, a studex tending from the rocking member below its pivotal point, a memberhaving a slot in which said stud is received, a float in the casing, arock shaft to which the floatisattached, and connections between therock shaft and the slotted member.

3. In a steam trap, the combination with a casing having a steam inletand a separate air vent outlet, of a valve for the steam inlet, anothervalve for the air vent outlet, a pivotally-mountedlever connected tosaid valves to cause them to operate si-- multaneously but oppositely, acradle pivoted co-axially with said lever, a rolling weight on saidcradle, a connection having lost motionbetw'een the cradle: and thelever, a float in the casing, a pivotallymounted float arm to which thefloat is connected, said cradle having a depending centrally-situatedarm, and a connection

